Dallas MAVERICKS B+
2015-16 Record (as of Jan. 16)
W-L 23-18
PCT .561
DIV 4-5
CONF 15-9
HOME 11-7
ROAD 12-11
Frontcourt B+
At 37, Dirk Nowitzki can still score and make big buckets when needed. Chandler Parson is still finding his form after surgery. As a consolation prize in the middle after the Mavs lost DeAndre Jordan, Zaza Pachulia has done yeoman work.
Backcourt B+
The homecoming has been a rousing success for Deron Williams after four lost seasons with the Nets. The only thing that slowed the Dallas native in the first half was a hamstring injury. Wes Matthews has been enthusiastic, but inconsistent.
Defense C+
Playing for a coach who hangs his hat on defense, the Mavs are a middle of the road team without any real bite. Matthews is the one in-your-face defender who’ll get stronger as recover from Achilles surgery continues.
Bench B+
Veteran guards J.J. Barea and Devin Harris keep bringing their mix of hustle, scrappiness and speed to pace the second unit. The pair of Justin Powell and JaVale McGee bring in valuable length to the frontline.
Coaching A
One of the NBA’s elite, Rick Carlisle always squeezes the most out of his roster. This time is no different as he keeps the Mavs in the West race and in the running for home court in the playoffs.
Summary
Considering they were left holding the bag when DeAndre Jordan did his celebrated flip-flop last summer and two key pieces of the starting lineup — Matthews (Achilles’ tendon) and Parsons (knee) — were recovering from surgery, it was generally believed that the Mavericks might take a while to come together.
However, Dallas has used the relentless beat-goes-on attitude of the venerable Nowitzki in his 18th NBA season and the rejuvenated play of Williams to become firmly established as a solid player in the West race.
Parsons and Matthews can only be expected to grow stronger physically and therefore contribute consistently over the second half. As he cruised past Shaquille O’Neal for sixth place on the all-time scoring list, Nowitzki shows that he’s still an offensive force. But the biggest reason for optimism and excitement is the leadership and all-around play of Williams. It takes a first-rate point guard to compete in the West and if Williams can turn back the clock to his old Utah days, the Mavs will make things interesting down the stretch and in the playoffs.
— Fran Blinebury
2015-16 Team Rating
Offense 103.1 (10th Overall)
Defense 101.8 (15th Overall)
Houston ROCKETS D
2015-16 Record (as of Jan. 16)
W-L 21-20
PCT .512
DIV 4-5
CONF 15-11
HOME 13-10
ROAD 8-10
Frontcourt C
Dwight Howard is fully healthy for the first time in three years, but has had trouble finding a place in the offense. Trevor Ariza has slipped at both ends of floor. Clint Capela is young, energetic and with lively legs, but very, very raw.
Backcourt C+
James Harden still posts big points, but takes more shots and more 3-pointers than ever and doesn’t play at other end. Pat Beverley is supposed to put energy and bite into the backcourt, but has been mostly all bark.
Defense D-
A top-10 defense a year ago has fallen into the bottom 10 (21st) this time around and is the primary reason the Rockets fell out of the starting gate 0-3 and have never been able to pick themselves back up.
Bench C
There has been no consistency to individuals and no consistency to the rotation. Terrence Jones in and out, Donatas Motiejunas recovering from surgery. Ty Lawson mostly a bust. Jason Terry, Marcus Thornton deliver in spurts.
Coaching C
Maybe it wasn’t all Kevin McHale’s fault when he was fired at 4-7. Interim coach J.B Bickerstaff knows his stuff and what he wants team to do, but has been unable to light a real fire under the group.
Summary
There are others with worse records and less talent than the Rockets, but no team has been more of a frustrating, underachieving puzzle.
Perhaps it was hangover from a surprise run to the Western Conference finals a year ago and a sense of “we have arrived” entitlement. It led to an NBA record of opening the season with back-to-back-to-back 20-point losses from which the Rockets have never recovered. It was easy to point the finger at McHale when he was fired three weeks in. But now the Rockets enter the second half of season still showing no sense of commitment to or confidence in the task. Harden is an uninspiring leader and difficult teammate to play with.
The defense is often disinterested and abysmal shows no signs of coming together and it could be time for G.M. Daryl Morey to shake up the roster at the trade deadline. Howard is heading to free agency next summer and now might be the time to acquire new pieces before he bolts or the Rockets must overpay greatly to keep him.
— Fran Blinebury
2015-16 Team Rating
Offense – 103.2 (9th Overall)
Defense – 104.8 (21st Overall)
Memphis GRIZZLIES C
2015-16 Record (as of Jan. 16)
W-L 22-19
PCT .537
DIV 4-4
CONF 12-12
HOME 14-7
ROAD 8-12
Frontcourt C+
Marc Gasol started slowly and so did the Grizzlies. He’s now rounding into steady form. Jeff Green doesn’t contribute and seems disinterested. Matt Barnes’ move into the starting lineup has added speed and some easy buckets.
Backcourt C+
Point guard Mike Conley has long been as underrated anybody in the league, but now his FG percentage is at a career low for a team that needs to score. Courtney Lee just doesn’t knock down the 3-point ball.
Defense C-
As the roster has aged, the teeth of the old grit and grind defense have lost their edges. A year ago Grizzlies were No. 3-rated defensive team; now they’re lingering in the lower half of the league. Times have changed.
Bench C-
Now adjusted to coming off the bench, Zach Randolph has gotten back to regular double-doubles. Tony Allen is back in a reserve role with his defensive claws. Mario Chalmers was a solid pick up. But they still need wing shooter.
Coaching C
Dave Joerger could be back on thin ice if he can’t lift the Grizzlies out of the close-to-.500 rut. His boldest move was sending Z-Bo to the bench, but it still hasn’t caused the Grizzlies to take off in the standings.
Summary
There’s a part of the regular crowd at the FedExForum that will never, ever want to let go of the image of the Grind House, where the Grizzlies practically made sausage out of opponents. But the game has changed. Memphis has not been able to keep up in the age of the 3-point shot and now it’s costing this franchise dearly as it appears the window on being a true contender in the Western Conference is closing. Joerger has done what he can with the roster he has to work with, moving Randolph to the bench and putting Barnes into the starting lineup. It has enabled the Grizzlies to get out and run more in transition, producing some much-needed easy baskets. But the basic problem is the one the Grizzlies have had ever since Rudy Gay left — nobody to consistently knock down the 3-ball as a regular part of the offensive attack. The lack of what has become an integral weapon in today’s NBA forces the Grizzlies to play with a handicap that’s getting greater and greater. Without an injection of new blood, they’re looking like first round and out of the playoffs again.
— Fran Blinebury
2015-16 Team Rating
Offense – 99.8 (27th Overall)
Defense – 102.5 (16th Overall)
New Orleans PELICANS D-
2015-16 Record (as of Jan. 16)
W-L 13-26
PCT .333
DIV 4-4
CONF 10-16
HOME 8-9
ROAD 5-17
Frontcourt C-
Any front line that’s got Anthony Davis is going to be way ahead of the curve. But it would be nice for Davis to have some help. Omer Asik fails at both ends and Alonzo Gee is no threat to score.
Backcourt C-
Eric Gordon and Tyreke Evans are both capable of going off on offensive tears and it would seem they’d make a formidable guard combination. But somehow they’re less than the sum of their parts.
Defense F
It walks like A.D., talks like A.D., looks like A.D. Those long arms swarm and get to any shot anywhere. Nobody else on the roster has a real inclination or clue. So they rank near rock bottom.
Bench D
Ryan Anderson is a nice weapon off the bench when 3-ball is falling and can rebound. Jrue Holiday was on minutes restriction most of first half. Norris Cole is having worst shooting season of his career.
Coaching C
Injuries that began to strike the Pelicans in training camp set Alvin Gentry’s first-year plan back. If he can get them showing interest over second half of season, it’s worthy of a mulligan.
Summary
A horrible 1-11 start that might have finished the season before it started in past years. But the Pelicans strangely enough still are within striking distance at the bottom of a playoff order in a Western Conference that is not nearly as top-to-bottom contentious as in the past.
With Evans still rounding into shape from October knee surgery that cost him 17 games and Holiday finally free of restrictions on his minutes after an injury-plagued couple of years, it’s possible that the Pelicans will be able to eventually speed things up offensively in the second half off the season. That’s was a huge part of Gentry’s plan that he could never implement.
However, the defense that was a weakness under Monty Williams has completely gone south and a lot of that is just a matter of effort. The Pelicans don’t give enough of it on a consistent basis.
They are virtually two different teams at home and on the road. However, they played the most difficult schedule in the NBA through the start of the new year. With a break in the schedule and a bit more concentration, they could still make the playoffs.
— Fran Blinebury
San Antonio SPURS A+
2015-16 Record (as of Jan. 16)
W-L 35-6
PCT .854
DIV 4-2
CONF 18-3
HOME 23-0
ROAD 12-6
Frontcourt A+
Arguably the best front line in the NBA with 39-year-old Tim Duncan flanked by free agent plum LaMarcus Aldridge on one wing and Defensive Player of the year and MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard on the other.
Backcourt B+
The difference in Tony Parker this year from last year is simply health. After a nagging hamstring injury slowed him a season ago, he’s back. Danny Green has fought a shooting slump, but keeps defending at a high level.
Defense A
This is a veteran group that knows most championships are won at the defensive end. The free agent Aldridge actually fit in at this end much quicker than on offense. At this point, nobody does it better.
Bench A
It makes the whole thing go. Manu Ginobili still provides flashes. But coach Gregg Popovich can only limit the minutes of his aging core because Patty Mills, Boris Diaw, David West, etc can be trusted to rarely miss a beat.
Coaching A+
The beat goes on. And on. And on. It’s been 20 years now since Popovich moved into the No. 1 seat and began raising the bar for every coach in the game. New players, new look, same old Pop at the top of his game.
Summary
Come on, we have to admit that nobody expected the Spurs to be this good this soon. Even with the defending champion Warriors starting out the season at an NBA-record 24-0 pace, they’ve been unable to shake the rebuilt Spurs, who are right on their tails.
Popovich says that his team is still trying to learn about itself and figure plenty of things out. But the smarts and veteran experience that make up so much of the roster have enabled them to excel on the fly.
Aldridge is just now starting to assert himself in the offense, though there are still times when he seems to be searching for a comfort zone.
Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Leonard has become, as Popovich once predicted, a “face of the franchise” type player and leads the charge at both ends of the floor. He’s fully embraced his role as top gun on offense while losing nothing from his defense.
There are 11 players now averaging 12 minutes per game and the Spurs legitimately go 15 deep. Pop has this team rested and confident, and barring injuries, the Spurs will be a monster going into the playoffs.
— Fran Blinebury
2015-16 Team Rating
Offense – 108.3 (3rd Overall)
Defense – 93.6 (1st Overall)
